By The Lake
by ArtjuiceRP
Summary: Emma follows Killian down to the lake when he leaves the ball early. All she wants is one dance with him.


**By The Lake**

"I'd say rumours of the queen's beauty were not exaggerated."

It's a blatant attempt to get his attention, a trick that usually would have worked if his eyes were not drawn to Emma, her smile blinding him from across the room.

She's not even looking at him, but he can't look away.

"The princess, however, well, I'd say rumours of her beauty are far too muted for what she deserves." That does catch his attention and Killian turns slightly towards his brother, still able to see Emma swirling through the crowd. "She is stunning, Killian. I don't blame you for being unable to take your eyes off her."

Killian is unable to stop the adoring smile spreading across his face as he turns back towards the princess, taking his brother's comment as permission to keep his gaze on her.

Liam doesn't know of his regular meetings with the princess. He'd met her the same day that they arrived in port, had found her sitting on the dock with her legs dangling off the side, toes dipping just below the water. He'd joined her, incapable of watching the sunset when he could watch the light dancing across her face, and they'd sat in silence until dark.

And then she'd spoken to him and he was enraptured.

He feels Liam move at his side, starting slightly at the feel of his brother's hand on his arm before being jerked down into a clumsy bow.

"Your Majesty." Liam murmurs, and Killian guesses that the Queen must have arrived to greet them. It can't be Emma, she's still dancing in her father's arms. "We are grateful to have been invited to such an event, especially as we are simply visitors to your kingdom."

Killian hears a response, but focuses instead on Emma's small bow to her newest dance partner. He wants to be there, to feel the familiar weight of her hand in his, but she had insisted on keeping their newfound relationship quiet. At least until all the other suitors had left.

He wonders if it's strange that he feels no jealousy at the sight of her dancing with another man. Except he knows what they feel for one another, can see she's standing as far from the man as she can without it being considered rude. He just wants it to be tomorrow, to meet her by the sea and take her into his arms, to speak of adventure and honour and a future.

And she's just winked at him. He glances round but no one seems to have noticed her diverted attention, hasn't spotted that she's no longer interested in her dance partner, but has a wide smile on her face that he knows is reserved solely for him.

He gives her a soft smile and nod in return, followed by another small bow for the queen and then he tells his brother he's leaving, that as much as he enjoyed and appreciated their time spent up at the royal palace, he'd be happier watching the last few minutes of the sunset. Liam acquiesces, and soon Killian's traipsing down to the lakeside.

He may not be jealous, but he'd rather not stand at the side and watch Emma partake in dance after dance with men that she intends to ignore once the evening is through.

"Killian?"

She's followed him, her dress trailing in the sand and her arms held loosely at her side, far more at ease here than she had been in front of the crowd back in the castle. He smiles slowly, watching her step closer to him and raise her arm, the start of a dance he's seen her perform many times that night.

"You weren't expecting to leave without a dance, were you?" she asks, her eyes fluttering coyly as he reaches out to take her hand, lacing their fingers together before pulling her nearer. "If I have to go through such torture, it's only fair for you to go through the same."

"It's not torture when it's with you." he answers sincerely, a laugh escaping him when she tugs him even closer and wraps her arms around his neck. "But if you insist, my lady."

Following her lead, he places his hands on her waist and waits for her to shift closer so that their chests brush with each slight breath. She places a soft kiss on his jaw and then starts to sway, his body following hers as they dance beneath the white light of the moon. "We should tell them tomorrow." she mutters, clearly unwilling to disturb the soft murmurings of the lake lapping at the beach. "I don't want to go to another ball and have to dance with men who aren't you."

"Your father will be rather upset." he replies once he's caught his breath, excited at the prospect of being with Emma at times other than sunset, at seeing Liam's face when he realises just what his brother's been up to during the repairs. "Perhaps it would be better to wait."

"Until your ship is fixed and you can be as far from my father's army as possible?" she asks, saddening at the very real possibility that he'll be leaving soon. He kisses her temple and tightens his grip on her until the sorrow falls away and she is gazing up at him, reaching up to brush her lips against his. "I think you're just scared, Lieutenant."

"Wary." She laughs again, the swaying stopping when she moves one hand to caress his cheek. He meets her eyes, still amazed that she's chose him, that she wants him, and he feels his world narrow to the two of them, oblivious to anything outside of Emma and him. "You know I love you, Emma. Nothing can keep us apart for long. Not even a very determined King James. Besides, I'd like to remind you that Liam will be very interested in questioning you. Maybe you're the one who should be scared."

"Making sure I'm good enough for his little brother?"

"He has rather high standards." he points out, quirking his eyebrow mischievously when she looks amused. "Unfortunately, they are a bit higher than my own so you may have to be careful."

"Your standards can't be as low as mine." she shoots back with a quick giggle, the wide fluttering eyes and soft smile as close as she's going to get to an 'I love you'. He knows she feels it, she's told him before, but she says it rarely, each utterance something to treasure and store away in his mind, to remember when she looks at him with so much love that she doesn't have to say the words out loud.

He doesn't have to say them either, but he adores the way her body relaxes and she sinks into him whenever he does. He says it again, the teasing atmosphere simmering down to a quiet heat as she arches towards him and presses her lips against his, one of his hands skimming up her back before tangling in her hair, keeping her pressed against him as he inhales her, her touch burning him as she tries to pull him closer, the space between them almost non-existent. He pauses for breath for only a moment, his mouth back on her lips, his arm anchoring her to him when she loses her footing and falls even closer to him.

She pulls away first, struggling briefly to regain her footing, their bodies still brushing against one another when she beams up at him, her smile brighter than any sunrise he's seen before. "When we tell them tomorrow, we'll leave that part out."

* * *

**Another quick drabble! Hope you like it - I needed to write something to get my mind off all of the statistics I've been working on today!**


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